Enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland: Round 9 Negotiations

Monday 2nd February 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Chris Bryant)]

The ninth round of negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 12 and 16 January 2026.

The new deal aims to support British businesses, back British jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets.

The enhanced agreement with Switzerland demonstrates the UK Government commitment to economic growth through strengthening trade ties with our 10th biggest trading partner—a relationship worth £49.0 billion in the 12 months ending September 2025 (ONS, UK total trade, seasonally adjusted).

The FTA aims to deliver long-term certainty for UK services firms by locking in access to the Swiss market, guaranteeing the free flow of data and cementing business travel arrangements.

The trading relationship supported 130,000 services jobs across the UK in 2020, including legal, consultancy and finance sectors (OECD trade in employment database and covers all jobs directly and indirectly supported by exports from service industries to Switzerland in 2020).

The new agreement will update the current goods-focused UK-Swiss FTA, signed in 2019 and largely based on an EU-Swiss deal from 1972. This does not cover services, investment, digital or data, despite services accounting for over 60% of UK trade with Switzerland (ONS, UK total trade, seasonally adjusted).

We have already extended the services mobility agreement between the UK and Switzerland for a further four years to 2029.

The latest round saw progress in multiple areas:

Services and investment

Productive sessions took place on services and investment. Talks remain focused on market access for UK services exports.

Market distorting practices

Good progress was made during this round on a range of topics relating to state-owned enterprises and subsidies.

Digital

Progress was made on digital trade with the UK seeking commitments to guarantee the free flow of data across both countries.

Intellectual property

During this round, the UK and Switzerland discussed intellectual property rights areas. Negotiations will continue with the aim of agreeing a comprehensive framework for the protection of intellectual property.

Goods

Discussions continue to focus on goods market access and on the goods chapter text, which will help streamline the process for UK exports to Switzerland and bilateral trade in goods.

Environment and labour

Negotiators provisionally closed the trade and sustainable development chapter, which demonstrates the UK and Switzerland’s joint commitment to maintaining high standards of environmental and labour protection including through multilateral environmental agreements such as the UNFCCC and the Paris agreement.

Next steps on FTA negotiations

Immediately following the round, my colleague the Secretary of State for Business and Trade met President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin in Switzerland to take stock of the progress in the FTA.

The Government are focussed on securing outcomes in an enhanced FTA that boost economic growth for the UK and Ministers will continue to update Parliament on the progress of negotiations.

The Government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the national health service.

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